Remote potential in social terms creates an impression of less imposition and hence greater politeness. Author: Regardless of how you say it (I wonder if, I was wondering if) it is still a present-tense request. こんにちはRYO英会話ジムのリョウです。今日は"I was wondering if ～. I was wondering... is an example of what could be termed deferential backshift.Using a past tense makes the request remoter. I was wondering if you could let me know by Friday. It's an indirect way of making a request or asking a yes-no question, and in case you were wondering, there are times when that just might be a better way to ask a question or make a request. I think you're getting at "I was wondering if I might trouble you for the salt?" "I was wondering if you were on a break" This asks if the person had been taking a break in the past "I was wondering if you are on a break" This asks if the person is currently taking a break (which means they're on break in the present). To wonder? To be silly and free? While ‘I was wondering…’ is a polite expression, I would NOT use it in a formal letter. "の意味と使い方 The "was" just serves to stretch out the phrase, and there is a concept that if it takes you longer to say it, it must be more polite. Hello Lyrics: Hello, it's me / I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet / To go over everything / They say that time's supposed to heal ya, but I ain't done much healing "I was wondering if ～. This is a film adaptation of an opera written by Amy Bryce during her residency with the Stiftung Kunst und Musik für Dresden 2019. was wondering" and start thinking about when it's best to say "I was wondering". = Is it a question? I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet To go over everything They say that time's supposed to heal ya But I ain't done much healing Hello, can you hear me? I was wondering what she thinks of me. We at the Kinder Society believe we can go back there if we want – come with us and we’ll show you how! If you "were wondering" something, you wouldn't have to wonder about something also in the past—you could wonder about something that will happen in the future. It makes you come across as an insecure person. 94044 USA. To explain the tense disagreement, we need to look at the situation temporally. Thank you. As Yule, in Explaining English Grammar, states: . I was wondering how many staff has the company or the company has? I wonder definition: You can say ' I wonder ' if you want to be very polite when you are asking someone to do... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples Is the word order correct? SwissPete Senior Member. The above sentence might leave the reader wondering whether you really know what you’re talking about. I'm trying to figure out whether to use a question mark and which word order is the one . "の意味と4つの使い方についてお話します。この記事を読めば、スムーズに丁寧な依頼ができるようになります。それでは、まいりましょう。 動画チュートリアル 1. … Unless you have some particular history with the individual you are making an invitation to that would necessitate greater sensitivity, I think it is best just to make a direct inquiry.